Alien Crash Site
26 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsA new InterPlanetary interview series from the Santa Fe Institute takes a page from the Strugatsky brothers' classic Soviet sci-fi novel, Roadside Picnic, to discuss a variety of transformative alien artifacts.
Thirteen years ago, an alien civilization visited our planet, and left behind myriad, mysterious materials in their crash sites. These areas, Zones, behave very strangely, but the interplanetary items they contain could change the trajectory of our technological advancement. What appears as a hoop might actually be a perpetual-motion machine. What appears as a slime might alter space-time.
Spend too much time in the Zone and your genes might mutate, your bones might dissolve, your body might be ground into meat. If you’re lucky enough to make it out alive, you’ll likely be imprisoned. But a successful trip in and out of the Zone could alter human history. Do you dare? And for what?
Hosted by Caitlin McShea.
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Episodes
What can an asteroid tell us about our own Planet. #023 with Lindy Elkins-Tanton
December 24, 2021 22:03 - 55 minutes - 50.5 MBLearn more about what was discussed in this Alien Crash Site episode by clicking through the links below: Lindy’s homepage Psyche Mission ASU's InterPlanetary Initiative Vesta Kleopatra Maxar Henry Stone at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Voyager Mission - Gravity Assist Lucy Mission DART Mission Psyche Inspired
#022 - Crossover episode with Complexity Pod: Gary Bengier
December 07, 2021 22:55 - 1 hour - 55.7 MBLearn more about what was discussed in this episode by clicking on the links below: Gary’s homepage. Unfettered journey Dan Dennett Eugene Wigner Michael's Complexity Podcast interview with David Kinney 2019 IPFest World Building panel discussion Geoffrey West’s Scale Hanson's Age of Em SFI Symposium AI and the Barrier of Meaning ACtioN Climate Change seminar - Complexity of Sustainability Peter Turchin Bob May's 1972 paper: "Will a Large Complex System be Stable?" Ayn Rand's At...
Co-Ordination: On Time Between Worlds - an InterPlanetary panel on Complex Time
November 18, 2021 20:41 - 1 hour - 80.7 MBLearn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below: New School Policy and Design for Outer Space SFI’s InterPlanetary Project Aging, Adaptation, and the Arrow of Time - A James S. McDonnell Foundation funded research track on Complex Time Complex Time video playlist InterPlanetary 2019 panel on Complex Time, featuring Sean Carroll
What are the best strategies for finding life in space? #021 with Natalie Grefenstette?
October 28, 2021 20:34 - 1 hour - 58.2 MBTo learn more about items mentioned in this podcast: Natalie's homepage Co-Ordination: On Time Between Worlds - An InterPlanetary Panel discussion on Complex Time Chris Kempes's Alien Crash Site Interview on life detection "Towards a more universal life detection strategy" as submitted to the Planetary and Astrobiology Decadal Survey Arrival Ted Chiang's "The Story of Your Life" Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Special Announcement - InterPlanetary Panel on Complex Time
October 16, 2021 00:00 - 3 minutes - 3.5 MBFor more information, visit this link and register FOR FREE. Alien Crash Site returns after that with an interview with SFI Post-Doc Natalie Grefenstette.
How does size shape our understanding of and search for life? #020 with Chris Kempes
October 01, 2021 20:45 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MBGeneralized Stoichiometry and Biogeochemistry for Astrobiological Applications Multiple Paths to Multiple Life Watch Chris Kempes and David Krakauer discuss multiple life in episode 2 of "Andromeda Strain and the Meaning of Life" Watch Sara Walker's critique of Multiple Life in episode 4 of "Andromeda Strain and the Meaning of Life" Allometric scaling of production and life-history variation in vascular plants, by West, Enquist, Brown and Charnov. A related lecture by Geoffrey West ...
What to look for, when we don't know what we're looking for? #019 with Heather Graham
September 03, 2021 21:53 - 54 minutes - 49.9 MBLearn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below: Identifying Molecules as Biosignatures with Assembly Theory and Mass Spectrometry. Generalized Stoichiometry and Biogeochemistry for Astrobiological Applications. Time Team Elemental Cycles DNA has Four Bases. Some Viruses Swap in a Fifth Bennu Hayabusa Mission Alien Crash Site Episode 015, with Cole Mathis on Assembly Theory. Determination of Azimuth Atlantis Dispatch 001, in which we contemplate t...
What Governance Structure Best Suits an InterPlanetary Humanity?" #018 with Timiebi Aganaba
August 23, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 55.6 MBLearn more about things discussed in this episode, by clicking on the links below: Timiebi Aganaba's home page And LinkedIn And Twitter Global Space Treaty Artemis Accords Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Lindy Elkins-Tanton of Arizona State University's InterPlanetary Project And the Psyche Mission The Court Case: Viasat, Inc (Appellant) Vs. Federal Communications Commission (Appellee) re: Space Exploration Holdings, LLC (Movant-Intervenor).
What lies in the space between? #017 with Aerospace Engineer Ryan McGranaghan
August 06, 2021 17:05 - 55 minutes - 50.8 MBTo learn more about the items discussed in this interview, click through the links below. Ryan’s website Ryan on Twitter The Carrington Event Parker Solar Probe Mars MAVEN Ushering in a New Frontier in Geospace through Data Science Dictionary of Obscure sorrows What is an Individual? Jorge Luis Borges “Talk on Indolence” by the Avett Brothers "Machine Gun" by Jimi Hendrix
How Do Artifacts Inform Cultural Evolution? #016 with Vanessa Ferdinand
July 09, 2021 18:44 - 49 minutes - 45.1 MBFor more information on items mentioned in this interview, click through the links below. Vanessa’s Website InterPlanetary 2018 Festival panel "Intelligent Systems and Cognitive Assistance" featuring Vanessa, David Krakauer, Jonah Nolan, Graham Spencer & Kurt Squire. Dan Sperber Norman Rockwell's painting "The Gossips" Giant dragonfly - Meganeura Alien Crash Site interview with Tamara van der Does Dune witches Buena Vista Social Club - Chan Chan Jil Jilala Nass El Ghiwane
#015 with Cole Mathis
June 24, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 63.1 MBLearn more about the items discussed in this conversation by clicking on the links below. The paper discussed: "Identifying molecules as biosignatures with assembly theory and mass spectrometry" "Scientists develop new molecular tool to detect alien life" - news article "Chemists design alien life detector" - news article The essay discussed: ($$ paywall) "Art as a Product of Nature, as a work of Art" by Paul K. Feyerabend Dragon's Egg, by Robert Forward Related: Atlantis's first dis...
#014 with Natalie Elliot
June 10, 2021 12:00 - 50 minutes - 45.9 MBLearn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below:Herschel Moon History Natalie Elliot’s Homepage Alexander Pope’s “The Rape of Lock” Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar Hamlet Romeo and Juliet Claudius Ptolemy Nicolaus Copernicus Tycho Brahe Aristophanes’s Clouds Birds Fermilab Bison Antikythera Mechanism “Origin Story” for Aeon And two recently published papers on universal life detection that we are WAY TOO EXCITED about: Generalized Stoichiometry...
#013 with Linda Sheehan
May 28, 2021 21:40 - 50 minutes - 46.7 MBLearn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below: InterPlanetary 2018 - Planetary Policy, Law & Regulation Panel Earth Juijitsu Environment Now Ecuador’s recognition of Pachamama Slavoj Zizek Santa Monica’s sustainability ordinance, protecting the aquifers Brown v. Board of Education US Space Act (1958) Outer Space Treaty (1966) Moon Agreement (1979)
#012 with Katherine Collins
May 13, 2021 22:10 - 45 minutes - 41.3 MBLearn more about the things we discuss in this episode by clicking through the links below: Honeybee Capital Ever-Widening Circles, by Rilke Zero sum game Tom Seeley's work on honeybees Suzanne Simard's work about tree communication networks Geoffrey West's lecture on Scaling I Dream a Highway - Gillian Welch Ode to Joy - Beethoven Final scene of Stalker
#011 with Van Savage
April 29, 2021 23:49 - 48 minutes - 44.1 MBLearn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below: Van’s homepage UCLA-led team of scientists discovers why we need sleep Watch Van on the “Time Design” Panel from #IPFest2018 Ted Chiang’s Seventy-Two Letters Liu Cixin’s Three Body Problem “You’re So Cool” by Hans Zimmer “Don’t Look Back in Anger” by Oasis “Welcome to the Jungle” and “You Could Be Mine”
#010 with Michael Lachmann
April 01, 2021 23:09 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MBLearn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below: Michael’s webpage Lauren Ancel Meyers Carl Bergstrom’s Calling Bullshit Michael’s work on the Neandertal genome Information’s impact on fitness Michael, Sara Walker, Chris Kempes and Lee Cronin, herein the #OriginsOfLifeLeague Life ≠ Alive
#009 with Tony Eagan
March 18, 2021 22:28 - 54 minutes - 49.7 MBLearn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below: Philosophy of Werner Herzog Adam and Eve Kant’s aesthetics Oedipus Rex Pandora Myth Beatrice Han-Pile Diego Velázquéz’s Las Meninas Rothko’s Tate Collection
#008 with Tamara van der Does
March 04, 2021 15:00 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MBTamara’s Website, Google Scholar Page & Twitter • InterPlanetary Festival Website • Alien Crash Site Podcast • In 72 hours of sci-fi, postdocs transmit parental model of alien civilization [video] • Greetings from a Triparental Planet 72 Hours of Science Pre-Printby Gizem Bacaksizlar, Stefani Crabtree, Joshua Garland, Natalie Grefenstette, Albert Kao, David Kinney, Artemy Kolchinsky, Tyler Marghetis, Michael Price, Maria Riolo, Hajime Shimao, Ashley Teufel, Tamara van der Does, and Vicky C...
#007 with Nina Lanza
February 18, 2021 20:57 - 54 minutes - 49.6 MBLearn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below: Theme song, "Stalker" by Tortilla The “Living in Space” InterPlanetary Panel from IP Fest 2018 ChemCam and SuperCam Recap of Nina’s time in Antartica Bradbury Museum panel of LANL scientists discussing Today’s Perseverance landing Joerael Numina’s art (The image of the Curiosity Rover behind me is one example of his work)
#006 with Sasha Samochina
February 04, 2021 21:00 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBLearn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below: Sasha’s website and work Sasha on “Visualization and Designing the Impossible” IPFest 2018 Panel Sasha at IPFest, on open-source space data Jet Propulsion Lab’s page of downloadable 360 and VR/AR videos Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History VITAL Ventilators Virtual tour of the Jet Propulsion Lab Kin Dza Dza
#005 with Armin Ellis
January 21, 2021 21:29 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBLearn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below: Exploration Institute Ocean Planet What Armin on the 2018 InterPlanetary Festival Panel “The End of the World?” with Annalee Newitz, and Lauren Oliver. Read Armin’s introduction to that ^ panel in IP Transmissions Volume One: Genesis Read up on Star Trek, if you’re unfamiliar for some reason...
#004 with David Stout
December 30, 2020 13:00 - 59 minutes - 54.8 MBLearn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below: Visit David’s new website Learn more about SFI’s recent Complexity and Structure of Music Workshop. Watch the 2018 InterPlanetary Festival Panel, Autonomous Ecosystems, where David (and past guest, Kate Greene) contributes to the conversation. Listen to some of David’s Sonic work. Watch David’s Hypnomancy performance from the 2020 Currents New Media festival. Aucourant Records. Ardy SixKiller Clarke.
#003 with Frank Lantz
December 02, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBLearn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below: 2019 InterPlanetary Festival’s “Game Design Panel,” moderated by Frank InterPlanetary Transmissions. Volume 2: Stardust, featuring an introduction to the Game Design panel by Frank NYU Game Center Claude Shannon’s “A Mathematical Theory of Communication.” Alien Crash Site interviews with GPT-3 Frank’s Universal Paperclips David Chapman Marcel Duchamp Caitlin’s favorite Jonathan Richman performance M...
#002 with Kate Greene
November 18, 2020 13:00 - 1 hour - 61.1 MBLearn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below: Kate’s new book of essays, Once Upon a Time I Lived on Mars. The 2017 InterPlanetary Panel, which launched the project. The 2018 InterPlanetary Festival Panel, “Autonomous Ecosystems.” All About Eggs, published by Lucky Peach. “Ova Easy” egg crystals, for your solo-Sunday omelettes. “The Aleph” by Jorge Borges Rocannon’s World by Ursula Le Guin. “Hey, Elon Musk, What about Toilet Paper on Mars?” by Er...
#001 with Ashton Eaton
November 04, 2020 17:46 - 54 minutes - 50.3 MBLearn more about everything referenced in this episode by clicking the links below: Ashton’s 2018 InterPlanetary Festival Appearance, “Living in Space” Ashton’s 2019 InterPlanetary Festival Appearance, “Zen and the Art of Space Exploration” Sam Harris podcast interview with David Krakauer General Systems Theory - Ludwig von Bertalanffy Limits to Human Performance Research at the Santa Fe Institute Ursula LeGuin’s Rocannon’s World (pdf) Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game Arrival (trailer...
#000 with David Krakauer
October 12, 2020 19:05 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBSFI President David Krakauer joins Caitlin McShea to consider the producers of an object, the receivers of said object, and the qualities of the object itself, in this first episode of Alien Crash Site...a sci-fi technology pod that pushes people out of their comfort Zones, and into Alien Crash Site Zones, in pursuit of a truly transformative object.